Safety-catch for hand-bags, attaché-cases, and the like.



A. B. HAWES &1. WHEELER.

SA FETY CATCH FOR HAND BAGS, ATTACHE CASES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1914.

1,163,534. Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

u I WZw COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH (10., WASHINGTON, D. c.

SAFETY-CATCH r03 HAND-BAGS, Armenian-oases, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 26, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'we, ALFRED Bnmssronn Hawns and J OHN WHEELER, subjectsof the King of Great Britain, and both, residents of London, England,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety- Catches forHand-Bags, Attache-Cases, and the like, of which the following is aspecification. I V

This invention relates to an improved safety catch for handbags, attachcasesand the like. I

It consists in an auxiliary fastening adapted automatically to cooperatewith the handle fittings of the bag to prevent the same from openingshould it be inadvertently taken up by the handle Without beingpreviously secured by means of the ordinary fastenings.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated a practical embodimentof our invention which is shown applied to an attach case. t V

Figure l is an elevational view of part of an attach case showing adouble hook fit- I ting slidably attached to the closing flap of thecase and adapted to engage the handle ring as will hereinafter bedescribed. Fig. 2 is a plan view projected from Fig. 1.

Referring to these drawings, the numeral 1 designates the body of anattache case of which the lid or cover 2 isprovided with the usualclosing flap 3. The handle 4 of the case is attached to rings 5 pivotedin fittings 6 in the usual manner. In the arrange ment shown in Figs. 1and 2 the safety catch 7 is slidably mounted on a base plate 8 which isriveted to the closing flap 3 by means of the shouldered rivets 9. Theserivets are secured to the plate before it is attached to the closingflap and are passed through suitable holes in the said flap and rivetedover washers 10. The catch member 7 is provided with two hooks 11 andalso with slots 12 whereby it is rendered slidable upon the pins 13.These pins are riveted'to'the base plate 8 and provided with heads 1% bymeans of which the catch member 7 is prevented from leaving them.

The operation of the device is as follows: WVhen the case is set downthe handle ring 5 naturally falls to a position below the plane of thecatch fitting, as shown in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

, Serial No. 847,484.

Which hook it actually engages will be'de termined by the direction inwhich it happens to lie before the case is taken up. It

will be seen however that whichever hook is engaged the slidingconnection between the catch member 7 and the base plate 8 permits thehandle ring to rise to the full extent without straining the closingflap 3.

The length of the slots 12 limits the motion 7 of the catch member.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1 v

l. A safety catch for handbags, attach cases and the like, said catchcomprising a double hook member, slidably mounted upon the closingflapof the bag and pro ecting into the path of the handle ring, saidcatch being adapted when in one position to hold the bag closed, thearrangement being such that the catch slides in a plane above thatnormally occupied by the handle ring when the bag or the like is setdown but, when said bag or the like is taken up by the handle,the'handle ring comes into engagement with one or other of the hooks ofthe said catch and, while still remaining in engage ment with it, slidesit into such a position that the closing flap is not strained.

2. A safety catch slidably attached to the closing flap or equivalentportion of a handbag or the like and adapted automatically to engage ahandlering when said bag or the like is taken up by the handle, saidsafety catch fitting comprising a plateriveted to the closing flap orequivalent and a double hooked member provided with a slot whichcooperates with a suitable pin upon the plate aforesaid to attach saiddouble hooked member to said plate while permitting it to sliderelatively thereto within suit-' able limits.

' In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of twoWitnesses.

I W itnesses EDWARD A. Evn, W. E. ROGERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

